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Import substitution industrialization (ISI) is an economic strategy aimed at fostering domestic production of goods that were previously imported. This approach was primarily adopted by developing nations, particularly in Latin America, from the 1930s through the 1960s.1

The core idea behind ISI was to overcome the international division of labor, where less-developed countries primarily exported raw materials and imported manufactured goods. Proponents argued that this system perpetuated poverty. ISI strategies typically involved protecting "infant industries" through high tariffs and other trade barriers, alongside incentives to import capital and technology.1

While ISI aimed for a phased industrial expansion, it often led to drawbacks such as slow employment growth, agricultural decline, and increased inequality. Critics also pointed to an over-reliance on transnational corporations and a failure to promote equitable development.1

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